Notice of Privacy Practices
The Homestead Group is required by law
to maintain the privacy of Protected Health Information (PHI) and to
provide individuals with this NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES describing
how we may use and disclose PHI to carry out treatment, payment or
healthcare operations and for other purposes permitted by law. It
also describes your rights to access and control your PHI. PHI is
information about you, including demographics that may identify you
and that relates to your past, present or future physical and mental
health care and substance abuse services. PLEASE REVIEW THIS NOTICE
CAREFULLY.
The Homestead Group is permitted to use
and disclose your PHI for the purposes of treatment, payment, and
healthcare operations (TPO) once you have given consent by signing
our Request of Release of Confidential Information form. When
required to, we will obtain your written authorization before
disclosing any of your information.
Treatment
We will use and disclose your PHI to those treatment
providers involved in your care. Different departments of our
facility also may share your PHI in order to coordinate the
different things you need, such as prescriptions or lab work. We may
also disclose information to other healthcare providers that you see
outside The Homestead Group to maintain your continuity
of care.
Payment
Your PHI will be used, as needed, to submit bills
for payment and to obtain payment from you, your insurance company
or third-party payer, as well as to obtain authorization for
services.
Healthcare Operations
We may use or disclose your PHI to support the
business operations of The Homestead Group, such as
quality improvement, employee review and other business-related
activities.
Disclosures of your PHI may occur WITHOUT
your written authorization for the following reasons
-
for emergency treatment when written
authorization is not feasible, but implied
-
to government or law enforcement agencies in
response to, for example, court orders, subpoenas, or criminal
conduct involving our facility
-
for public health risks, including, for example,
communicable diseases, abuse or neglect
-
to a correctional institution if you are or
become an inmate
-
for health oversight activities – these include,
for example, audits, investigations, inspections and licensure
-
for lawsuits and disputes that you may be
involved in. We will make all efforts to notify you of the
request or to obtain a court order to protect the requested PHI.
-
to the Medical Examiner to identify a deceased
person or to determine the cause of death
-
to federal officials investigating intelligence,
counter-intelligence and other national security activities
authorized by law
-
to Worker’s Compensation
Your PHI may also be disclosed with your written
authorization. Please note that you maintain the right to revoke
your written authorization at any time except to the extent action
has been taken in reliance on it.
Your Rights Regarding Your Protected Health Information (PHI)
Right to Inspect and Copy:
You have the right to
inspect and copy your PHI that may be used to make decisions about
your care. You can ask the staff at any reception area for a copy of
the request form and the procedure for inspecting and copying your
PHI. In certain situations, we may deny your request to read and
copy your PHI. You have the right to have this decision reviewed and
the decision to deny access may be reversed.
Right to Amend:
If you feel that any PHI we have
about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment
as long as the information is maintained by The Arc of Northern
Rhode Island. You can ask the staff at any reception area for a copy
of the request form and the procedure for amending your record.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures:
You have
a right to request the list of disclosures that we have made of your
PHI after April 14, 2003. You can ask the staff at any reception
area for a copy of the request form and the procedure to receive an
accounting of disclosures. We are not required to maintain this list
of disclosures made for treatment, payment or healthcare operations.
Right to Request Confidential Communications:
You have the right to request that we communicate with you regarding
your PHI in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you
can ask that we only contact you at home or by mail. You can ask the
staff at any reception area for a copy of the request form and the
procedure for confidential communications.
Right to Request Restrictions:
Even though all
disclosures we make are with the minimal amount of PHI, you have the
right to request a restriction or limitation on the PHI we use or
disclose about you. You can ask the staff at any reception area for
a copy of the request form and the procedure. We are not required to
honor this request. If we agree, we will comply with your request
unless the information needed is for emergency treatment.
Right to a Copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices:
You have the right to obtain a copy of this notice at any time.
If you have a concern or
complaint about how your protected health information is being used
from this date forward, you may contact:
Albert J. Vario, Privacy Officer
C/O Homestead Group Child & Family Services
1 Cumberland Plaza
One Cumberland St. 4th Floor | Woonsocket, RI 02895
Phone: 401-775-1500, Ext.114
You have recourse if you feel that your privacy
protections have been violated. You have the right to file a written
complaint with our office or with the Department of Health & Human
Services – Office of Civil Rights, about violations of the
provisions of this notice or the policies and procedures of our
office. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Please contact us for more information. For more
information about HIPAA or to file a complaint:
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services – Office of Civil
Rights
200 Independence Avenue, SW |
Washington, DC 20201
(202) 619-0257 or 877-696-6775
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